Pneumatic fluid-lift



I. K. PUTNAM PNEUMATIC FLUID LIFT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6 Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

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@ttor/nuda J. K. PUTNAM.

PNEUMATIC FLUI-D LIFT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6.1915.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

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' ermee.

JAMES K. PUTNAM, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

PNEUMATIC FLUID-LIFT.

Application filed July 6, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES K. PUTNAM, a citizen of the United States',residing at lTulsa, in the county of Tulsaand State of Oklahoma, haveinvented certain new and` useful Improvements in Pneumatic Fluid- Lifts;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to`- make and use the saine.

My invention relates' to improvements in pneumatic fluid lifts forblowing oil` wells and removing various other liquids from other formsof wells or pits.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means whereby a rigidpipe, eX- tending throughout the depth of the well,

.will operate a number of valves for closing and opening a number ofports in said pipe when turned, thereby controlhng the pressure enteringsaid pipe from the well or pit.

To the above end, I provide the above.

mentioned 'rigid pipe and formv the same with a number of verticallyspaced ports, provide valves for closing and opening said ports,circumferentially rotatable members ber of yielding leaf springs foryieldingly preventing movement of said members and to mount said springsin `such a manner as to allow them to freely expand and contract for thepurpose of adapting. the invention to well tubing of dii'erentdiameters.

With the above and minor objects in view,

the invention resides in certain novel fea-` tures of 'construction andcombination herein described' and claimed and shown inthe drawingswherein Figure 1 is a vertical section through al well and its tubingshowing the application of one form of my invention thereto;

,Fig 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the parts shown inFig. 1, illustrating more clearly the positioning ofthe ports in respectto the circumferentially movable members, the port shown in thisSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Serial No. 38,235.

figure, being open; Fig. 3 is a similar view with the ports closed; Fig.4 is a horizontal section on the top line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is avertical section taken upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a viewlsimilar to Fig. l, showing a slightly different form .of construction.in which mechanically operated valves are employed; Fig. 7 is anenlarged side elevation of a portion of the parts shown in Fig. 6; Fig.8 is a horizontal section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 9 is avertical section upon the line 9-9 of Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a detailvertical section through Ythe bell or hood at the lower end of the pipe.

ln the irst ive figures of the drawings, l have shown my invention asapplied to a well W having the usual tubing or piping P and beingsubstantially closed at its upper end by the usual cap C which isthreaded onto the upper end of the pipe P and is provided with a centralstuiing boX S.

Depending through the stuffing box S, eX- tending throughout the depth fthe well and having its lower end embedded in the bottom thereof, is apipe l which may be of any appropriate dimensions and which ispreferably formed in a number of sections which are rigidly united bymeans of internally threaded sleeves 2. The pipe 1 is providedfnear itslower end, with a number of perforations 3 which communicate with theinterior of a hood or bell 4, the latter being carried rigidly by saidpipe and being preferably-threaded thereon. Below each sleeve or joint2, the pipe l is formed with a port 5 and adjacent said ports, stop pins6 are disposed, said stop pins coacting with segmental extensions 7which rise from the upper ends of a number of sleeves 8, the upper endsof said extensions contacting with the lower ends of the couplings 2 andbeing held against downward movement by means of pins 9 or othersuitable means. As clearly shown in Fig. l, the segmental eX- teiisions7 increase in length from the lower to the upper end of the well, thisconstruction becoming expedient in a manner to aptheir upper endsrigidly secured to the sleeves 8 while their lower ends are united mentbeing freely allowed by the sliding en-v gagement of the rings 11 withsaid pipe..

By reference particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that eachstop pin 6 lies between the opposed ends of its respective uprightextension `7 and that the space between said ends is suflicient to allowthe ports 5 to be exposed when, the pipe 1 is rotated in the properdirection, certain portions of said extensions 7 overlying the ports,when the pipe is rotated in the opposite direction. For the purpose offorming an effective closure for said ports, I have provided theextensions 7 'with rubber valves 12 which are preferably inset inrecesses 13 whereby theyare held against dislocation.l

With the parts as above described, the operation is as follows: A pipe 1is inserted into the well to be blown and the cap C is threaded over theupper end of the pipe P, the latter projecting rotatably through thestuffing box S. If suiicient gas is trapped within the well, to raisethe fluid therefrom,

no other fluid pressure need be employed. If however, the supply of gasis not sufficiently strong to raise the fluid, air may be forced intothe tubing' at a proper pressure..

Whether air or gas is employed, the operation of the device is preciselythe same.

When now the fluid is to be-extractedf from thewell, the pipe 1 isturned by meansI of a suitable handle l in such a'direction as to causethe uppermost stop pin 6 to move from its normal position against oneend 7 of the extension 7 and contact with the other end 7 thereof, thismovement exposing the uppermost port 5 and .allowing the -compressed airor gas, within the well, to escape through the upper end of the-pipe 1.The outrush of said air or gas provided the same be powerfulV enough,now draws the fluid from the well and discharges the same at the upperend of the pipe 1 from which it may be conveyed to suitable reservoirs(not shown). If the pressure, coming through the uppermost port 5, isnot powerful enough to effectually extract Ythe fluid from the well, theypipe 1 is further rotated until the next port 5 is exposed, thus givingtwice the amount of pressure. From this descripyeo tion, it will be seenthat a continued turn of the pipe will open all of the ports, theuppermost opening first and the lowermost last.' During. this turning ofthe pipe 1 after the-various stop pins 6-contact with crease in lengthas they near the-bottom of In Figs. 6 to 9, the construction' of thepipe 1, and the arrangement of the ports 5 and stop pins 9, ispractically the same as the form previously described. In this casehowever, the ports 5 are provided with inwardly closing valves 12 whichinclude cone-shapedl heads which are integrally joined with inwardlyextending Shanks, nuts being threaded on the inner ends of the Shanks,which latter project loosely through the ports 5. For the purpose ofoperating the valves 12 when the pipe 1 is turned, I provide a number ofsleeves S -which have upright extensions 7 a, the width of saidextensions increasing from the top of the pipe to the bottom thereof.The sleeves 8 are provided with springs 10 which are similar to thesprings 10 and are secured at their lower ends to rings 11 similar tothe rings 11.

It may here be stated that the valves 12 .are canted when the pipe isturned in -a proper direction to cause the extensions 7a 12 thus cuttingoffv the supply of escaping air or gas and thereby preventing thedischarge of fiuid from the pipe 1.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have produced an extremelysimple fluid pressure lift which will be highly eflicient in operationand whichneeds no operating means other than the handle 1, attached tothe top of the pipe 1.

I have described my invention with considerable minuteness but I do notwish to be limited to. details of construction or arrangement of partsotherwise than as amplified in the appended claims. 4.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is A 1. A pneumatic fluid lift including arevolubly mounted outlet pipe, Vcontinuing rigidly throughout the depthof the well and having 4a number ofvertically spaced ports, valves forthe ports, circumferentially revoluble members upon the pipe adjacentthe ports for operating the valves, means for yieldingly locking s aidmembers against movement and means for rotating the pipe whereby theports may be opened and closed by the valves.

for the ports, circumferentially revoluble.

members on the pipe adjacent the ports, segmental extensions projectingfrom said members and lying in the lateral paths of the ports foroperating the valves, means for yieldingly holding the members againstmovement, and means for rotating the pipe, whereby the ports may beopened and closed by the valves.

3. A pneumatic fluid lift including a revolubly mounted outlet pipe,continuing throughout the depth of the well and having a number ofvertically spaced ports, valves for the ports, circumferentiallyrevoluble members on the pipe adjacent the ports, segmental extensionsprojecting from said members and lying in the lateral paths of the portsfor operating the valves, means for yieldingly holding the membersagainst movement, stops in the swinging path of said segmentalextensions, and means for rotating the pipe whereby the ports may beopened and closed by the valves. 4

4. A pneumatic fluid lift including a revolubly mounted pipe extendingrigidly throughout the depth ofthe well and having a number ofvertically spaced ports, sleeves encircling the pipe and having uprightsegmental projections lying in the paths of the ports, means foryieldingly holding the sleeves against rotation, and means for rotatingthe pipe whereby the ports may be opened and closed bythe projections.

A pneumatic fluid lift including a revolubly mounted pipe extendingrigidlythroughout the depth of the Well and having a number ofvertically spacedjports, sleeves encircling the pipe and having uprightsegmental projections ot' varied lengths and lying in the planes of' theports, means for yieldingly holding the sleeves against rotation andmeans for rotating the pipe, Whereby the ports may be opened and closedby said projections.

6. A pneumatic`fluidliftincluding a revolubly mounted pipe extendingrigidly throughout the depth of the well, andchaving vertically spacedports, valves for the ports, circumferentially movable members on thepipe and having segmental portions lying in the planes of the ports foroperating the valves, rings loosely mounted on the pipe and spaced fromthe members, outwardly curved springs secured. at their opposite ends tothe rings and to said members and means for rotating the pipe.

T. A lpneumatic fluid lift including a revolubly mounted pipe extendingrigidly throughout the depth of the Welland having vertically spacedports, circumferentially movable members on the pipe and. havingsegmental portions lying in the planes of the ports for controlling thelatter, means forrotating the pipe and stops for limiting the amount ofrotation thereof in respect to said members.

8. A pneumatic fluid lift including a revolubly mounted pipe extendingthroughout the depth of the well and having vertically spaced ports,sleeves rotatable upon the pipe and having upright segmental portionslying in the paths of' the ports for controlling the latter, means foryieldingly holding the sleeves against rotation, means for rotating thepipe in the sleeves and. stops on the pipe adapted to contact with theends of the segmental projections to limit the rotary movement of thepipe in respect to the sleeves. i

9. A pneumatic fluid lift including a revolubly mounted pipe extendingthroughout the depth of the well and including a number of sections eachhaving a port, couplings I uniting the meeting ends of' the pipesections, sleeves encireling the sections, segmental projections on oneend of the sleeves in contact with the couplings and adapted to controlthe ports, stops carried by the pipe and contactingwith the other end ofthe sleeves, means for yieldingly preventing movement ot' said sleeves,means for rotatingl the. pipe within said sleeves, and stops on the.pipe adapted to contact with the ends of the segmental projections andlimit the movement ol thepipe in respect thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit-

